GOP worried about NC pre-K expansion finances

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Bev Perdue

GOP worried about NC pre-K expansion finances

Bev Perdue

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Republican legislative leaders are upset with how outgoing Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue’s administration is spending money to expand pre-kindergarten for thousands of additional children through next summer.

A GOP-led oversight panel at the Legislature questioned Tuesday how the Department of Health and Human Services has located $20 million within its agencies to enroll more than 6,000 additional 4-year-olds in the free voluntary pre-kindergarten program.

Department Acting Secretary Al Delia says the money will come in part from funds unlikely to be spent for services like foster care and drugs for people with AIDS.

Delia says there will be no negative impact on services. But panel co-chairman Rep. Nelson Dollar says he’s worried about spending extra funds when the department has a recent history of shortfalls.

Perdue leaves office in January.

This article was provided by The Associated Press. (Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)